Lib opener and closer



June 24, 1924. 1,499,146

H. BERNARD LID OPENER AND CLOSER Filed May 15. 1923 9 r gm'nto'b ,Befimrd.

Patented June 24, 12924.

HEIQRY BERNARD, OF SPOKANE, VIASI-IINGTON.

LID OPENER AND CLOSER.

Application filedMay 15,

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HENRY BERNARD, a citizen of the United States, residingat Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lid Openers and Closers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention has relation to lid or cover operating means and has for its object the provision of a simple and effective mechanism for positively moving the lid or cover so as to open or close the same as required.

The invention has for a further object the provision of lid operating means which may be readily applied to a box or analogous container, thereby enabling the lid or cover to be opened or closed without requiring the touching of the same which, under certain conditions would be liable to soil the fingers or hand. 7

Other objects and advantages will be apparent and suggest themselves as the nature of the invention is understood.

\Vhile the drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that in adapting the same to meet different conditions and requirements, various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the application:

Figure 1 is an end view of a box provided with lid operating mechanism embodying the invention, the lid being closed,

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, the lid being open, and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an end portion of the box inverted, showing more clearly the fingerpiece attached to the bot tom thereof.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the several views of the drawings by like reference characters.

The numeral 1 designates a box or other receptacle or container provided with a hinged lid or cover 2. A lever 3 is pivoted intermediate its ends, as indicated at 4c, to the box 1 and one end is provided with a vided with the inclined slot 6 will enable upon the fingerpiece effects an opening of gage the bottom of the box, as indicated 1923. Serial no. 639,145.

fingerpiece 5 and its opposite end is provided 55 with a relatively inclined slot 6. The lever 3 is of a length to project beyond opposite sides of the box so that the finger-piece 5 is readily accessible and the opposite end prothe lid or cover 2 to be swung into open position and wholly clear the same, as indicated mostclearly in Figure 2. A headed stud/7, or like part, is applied to the lid or cover 2 adjacent its hinge connection with the box and passes through the inclined slot 6. lVhen the lid or cover 2 isclosed, the stud 7 occupies a position at the inner end of the slot 6 and when the lid is fully open, the stud 7 is disposed at the outer end of the slot 6, as indicated most clearly in Figure 2. When the lid is closed, the stud 7 is disposed forwardly of the hinge connection between the lid and box so that downward pressure the lid. When the lid is open, the stud 7 r is disposed outwardly of the hinge connection between the lid and box and downward pressure upon the fingerpiece 5 results in a closing of the lid. In order to fully open or close the lid, it is essential that the lever 3 be actuated quickly, whereby to bring the lid into vertical position and with a momentum to carry the same past'the vertical and not retard the opening or closing movement.

When the box or other container is relatively small, such as generally used for containing an ink pad, it is found advantageous and desirable to provide the same with a supplemental fingerpiece 8 which is located adjacent the fingerpiece 5, thereby enabling the supplemental fingerpiece 8 to be engaged by a finger of the hand while the fingerpiece 5 is engaged by the thumb when applying the pressure to effect an opening or a closing of the lid, as required. The supplemental fingerpiece 8 consists of the projecting end of a metal strip which is passed through a slot 9 formed in a side of the box adjacent the bottom thereof, said strip overlapping the bottom and having ears 10 at its inner end which are passed through parallel slots 11 formed in the bottom of the box and which are bent or clinched so as to en most clearly in Figure 3.

What 1s claimed s: 1. A box 11d opener and closer comprising a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the box and having a fingerpiece at one end and a relatively inclined slot in its opposite end, and a stud projecting from the lid and passing through said inclined slot.

2. A box lid opener and closer comprising a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the box and projecting beyond opposite sides of the box, one of the projecting ends having a fingerpiece and the other projecting end hav ing a relatively inclined slot, and a stud projecting from the lid and passing through the inclined slot.

3. In a box provided with a hinged lid, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the box and having a projecting fingerpiece at one end and a relatively inclined slot at the opposite end, a stud projecting from the lid and passing through said inclined slot, and

a supplemental fingerpiece projecting from the box and adapted to coact with the fingerpiece of the lid operating lever.

4. In a box provided with a hinged lid operating means for opening and closing the lid and pivoted to the box and having an end portion extended and forming a fingerpiece, and a supplemental fingerpiece consisting of a metal strip having an end portion projecting through a slot in a side of the box and having ears at its inner end passing through slots in the bottom of the box and bent or clinched against the underside of the bottom.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY BERNARD.

Witnesses M. DAY, CHARLES G. Hum. 

